Day Unto Day. Martha Collins

was and nothing’s left of her except

      me oh my and her him too: her last

      days he also came all back to me but

      now my own him is here is not

      once upon but times many.

      25

      Many, as in instances, or all,

      one, as in passing, as in course of:

      two words for time, in Vietnamese,

      but one for all the times to do,

      for go went gone, as in, this colder

      day, the geese: only ducks and gulls

      on the little pond, its tiny island.

      26

      Island’s I, for all

      the thinking not (no man

      no self). Island’s home,

      at least for some. But here’s

      a little boat for back and forth

      with one beside, rowing through

      the eventide, the late evening.

      27

      Evening out. On

      the town, out of town:

      city wearing your black

      dress sequined with lights, I

      am coming down for an even-

      ing out, in bed beside.

      The rest: held by, holding.

      28

      Holding on the Red

      Sox won eclipsing even the full

      eclipsed moon a moment outside

      the trouble we’ve seen though the TV had

      to bring in the war the war that people

      believe is good because they want

      to believe it’s a winning team

      29

      Teeming with leaves, trees

      and ground all gold

      around gray stones: I

      am greeting my last

      neighbors, we shall

      all be changed, pieces

      of gold slipping into air.

      30

      Airborne, air-born, hand-

      sized cradle to hold

      a soul, no broken-

      bough fall. Good

      news today, but best

      in the air, this old

      new leaf, turning it over.

      31

      Over and over again

      and again, time

      after time, stone